Shunya
/ˈʃuːn.jə/noun
A Sanskrit term meaning empty or void, also used in mathematical and spiritual contexts for zero or emptiness.
Did you know?In Indian philosophical traditions, śūnya could signify spiritual emptiness or lack of inherent essence, while related mathematical usage helped inspire the concept of zero.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European or Pre-Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śūna
“Empty, hollow, swollen, or lacking substance; the exact deeper root is debated.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
śūnya
“Empty, void, vacant, or devoid of something.”
5th–7th Century
Sanskrit
śūnya
“A mathematical zero or empty place-value position; also a philosophical void.”
7th–9th Century
Arabic
ṣifr
“A translated or adapted term for an empty place or zero, derived through Indian mathematical knowledge.”
13th Century
Old French
cifre
“Zero or a written numeral, developing from Arabic ṣifr.”
Modern English
English
shunya
“A loanword referring to Sanskrit emptiness, zero, or spiritual void.”